Rotary register embossing press



May 7, 1963 F. w. BRoDERlcK ROTARY REGISTER EMBOSSING PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1962 i'l. In

} l 1 l I I F I I 1 May 7, 1963 F. w. BRODERICK 3,088,399

ROTARY REGISTERl EMBOSSING PRESS Filed Feb. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,088,399 ROTARY REGISTER EMBGSSING PRESS Frank W. Broderick, New Providence, NJ. (IRO. Box 2, Stirling, NJ.) Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 175,634 8 Claims. (Cl. N91-23) This invention relates to embossing presses and more particularly to embossing presses used in line with printing presses and which may be adjusted without stopping the machine.

The inline embossing of rotogravure printed wraps and labels is a very sensitive and delicate operation. The printing presses are run at relatively high speeds and so the embossing rolls are likewise run at these same speeds. But the embossing rolls are mated rolls of hardened forged steel. Clearly if the mated embossing female and male rolls are not substantially perfectly mated so that they are askew or misaligned even to a minute degree, the result is catastrophic, since the web, ygenerally a metal foil or laminate, is cut and torn and thus ybecomes just so much scrap.

In the prior art the manner of obtaining perfect mating between embossing rolls were crude and required shutting oi the machine and adjusting several hard to get at bolts and even jacking up one or more corners of the bedplate of the machine.

This invention avoids cumbersome methods of establishing register between the rolls both in setting up the embossing press station and during the running of the press should the rolls become even slightly misaligned.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for setting up an embossing station wherein the topr embossing roll is easily and substantially perfectly aligned with the bottom embossing roll.

It is another object to provide a means for re-aligning misa'ligned embossing rolls while running continuously.

It is a further object to provide means for aligning embossing rolls which are easily accessible, few in number and fool proof in retaining an adjusted position.

These and other objects of this invention will become readily apparent upon reading the following descriptive disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying embodiments and in which;

FIG. l is a view of the herringbone gear end of the press showing a hydraulic press used to retain the bottom embossing roll and broken away in part to show the manner of adjusting laterally bearing box in a vertically moveable yoke,

FIG. 2 is a section view taken substantially on line 2 2 of FIG. l and showing the manner of adjusting linearly axially the bottom roll relative to the top roll at the left or operators station, showing the top and bottom roll intermediate the left and the right station in a break-a-way manner, and disclosing a portion of the right station to show the clearance therein to facilitate a register assembly of the rolls when setting up the machine.

FIG. 3 is a break-a-way section view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. l to sho-w the manner of engaging the yoke between the frame and the bearing box in a station, and showing the clearance between the bearing 4box and the yoke used for adjustment purposes,

FIG. 4 is a break-a-way view similar to FIG. 3 and showing an alternate manner of captively and slidingly retaining a yoke arm between an exterior stationary frame and an interior laterally moveable bearing box,

FIG. 5 is a view of a Vernier screw jack used to obtain a suitable space relationship lbetween the top embossing roll and the -bottom embossing roll, and

FIG. 6 is an end break-a-way view of a floating lock 3,038,399 Patented May 7, 1963 block disposed in a vertical slot located in -the edge of a side support frame,

Turning now to the drawing FIG. 2, the embossing machine or press itl is provided with a left or operators station 11 and a right or drive station 12.

The machine It) is ycomposed of a bed plate 13y bolted at each end by bolts 14 to a left and to a right upright support 15.

The supports 15 are substantially of a U-shaped coniiguration, each having a substantially square channel 16 therein to receive hydraulic pump means 17 secured thereto by conventional means.

A bottom saddle 13 suitably apertured having a suitable central semi-circular channel is disposed on the opposed legs of an upright support 15 and a co-acting top saddle 19 suitably apertured to mate with the apertures of the bottom saddle 18 is disposed thereon (FIGS. 1 and 2). A plurality of Ibolts are disposed through the apertures of the saddles 18 and 19 and into threaded cavities disposed in the horizontal top edges of the U- shaped frame `supports 15 at each end of the bed plate 13.

A bottom embossing roll 2t) is disposed at each of its ends in a rectangular bearing box 21X. The bearing box 21X includes a conventional self-aligning roller bearing unit 21 disposed about the suitably machined journal 22 of the roll 20.

Circular side plates 23 and 24 are bolted by bolts 25 to a rectangular bearing box frame 26 having a central aperture therein for receiving the said bearing unit 21. Conventional oil retainer rings 27 are employed on each side of the bearing unit 21. A suitably narrow centrally apertured circular collar 2S is disposed against the bearing unit 21.

A suitable herringbone gear 29 is keyed to the journal 22 by a key 30. The gear 29 of this invention is provided with a plurality of adjustment bolts 31, preferably four bolts at degrees yfrom one another, disposed in corresponding threaded apertures located in said gear 29. The bolts 31 each have a ilat end which is seated against the dat vertical surface of the collar 28. Clearly suitable movement of bolts 31 adjusts the distance between gear 29 and collar 28.

The extremity of journal 22 is threaded and a round llock Washer 33 having a single depending tab 34 and a plurality of suitably spaced-apart extending fingers 35 is disposed around the threaded axle with the tab 34 disposed in a suitable receiving channel disposed in the surface of the journal 22. A suita-ble threaded ring lock 36 is threaded tightly against the lock washer 33. The lock 36 is of conventional manufacture and is provided with a plurality of suitably spaced-apart channels 38 in it-s exterior beveled rim.

Upon tightening the lock 36 to the lock washer 33 the washer finger 35X (FIG. 2) nearest to a channel 38 is registered thereover and then peened into the channel 38 thereby locking the lock 36 immoveably to the journal 22 through lock washer 33.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a U-shaped yoke 40- is disposed upon the hydraulic means 17. The bearing box 21X is of a width suitably less than the distance between the upright arms 42 and 43 of the yoke 4t) so that a suitable adjustment cleanance is provided between each side of the bearing box 21X and the respective arm 42 and 43 of the yoke 4i) (FIGS. 1 and 3). The sides of the bearing boxes are channeled as are also the inner sides of each of the upright supports 15 (FIG. 3) so that the bearing box 21X is laterally and selectively moveable as a unit in the yoke 40 as described hereinafter. An alternative method or interlocking a non-flanged bearing box to opposed dual channel yoke arm 42X and a non-channeled frame support 15X is shown in FIG. 4.

The upright supports 15 on both sides are each provided with vertical slots 45 therethrough and a suitably long bolt 46 threaded at the inner end is disposed in a slot and threaded into a suitably located threaded aperture disposed in each of the yoke arms 42 and 43.

The end of the bolt 46 is provided with a polygonal conguration 46X to facilitate seizure with la wrench. The bolts 46 are each provided with flat ends that seat against the respective at vertical walls of a bearing box 21X.

An integral rectangular lock block 49 is provided with an exterior ange portion 50 which is disposed over the edges of slots 45 of an upright support 15 and with a suitable integral inner rectangular portion 51 which slidingly engages the walls of slot 45.

A flange S2 is secured as by welding to bolt 46 adjacent to the wrench receiving end 46X. The aperture in block 49 through which bolt 46 passes is not threaded so that the block 49 slides on the bolt 46 and is secured thereto after adjustment of the bearing boxes by a set screw 53 located in the side of the block.

In order to move the bearing box 21X selectively laterally or side to side (FIG. 1), the right and the left blocks 49 are each loosened by loosening the set screws 53 therein. Next the right and the left bolts 46 are threaded into or out of the respective arms of the yoke 40 as needed thereby moving laterally the bearing box 21X and the herringbone gear 29 as desired. Such side to side movement of the bearing box 21X permits axial adjustment of the bottom embossing roll 20 to the top mating embossing roll 20X since obviously the journal 22 moves with the bearing box, thereby correcting axial misalignment even while the rolls are running.

To assemble the embossing machine of this invention, the bottom roll 20 with bearing boxes 21X on each end is disposed on the yokes 40 of each end station, said stations having end supports 15 held in space relationship by a pair of spacer rods 54 secured by bolts 55 to the respective end supports 15. Next the bottom saddles 18 are each disposed on the supports 15 at each station and a semi-circular cork grease retainer 58 is inserted in the groove provided for it. The top embossing roll 20X is then disposed upon the saddles 18 located at each of the ends of the machine. The bearings 21 are disposed upon the journals 22X located at the respective ends of roll 20X. The top saddle 19-is then positioned on the bearings 21 carefully so that a pair of smooth pins 59 are dropped through corresponding apertures in saddle 19 into co-acting cavities located in saddle 18. The pins 59, as shown in FIG. l, extend into the apertures of the top saddle 19 thereby accurately positioning the axis of the top roll 20X in the two saddles 18 and 19 whereupon they are bolted together and to the side supports by bolts 60.

A circular face plate 61 is then secured by bolts 62 to the top saddle 19 Iand a circular conventional grease retainer 27 is inserted about the protruding end of journal 22X. A wide collar 28X is disposed against the left bearing 21. As shown in FIG. 2, a top herringbone gear 63 is then secured by a key 64 to the journal 22X of the left or operators station. The end of this journal is also threaded and the gear 63 is locked in place by means of a lock washer 33 and a lock 36 as previously described.

The difference in width between collar 28 on the journal of the bottom roll 20 and collar 28X on the journal on the top roll 20X permits adjustment of bottom gear 59 relative to top gear 63 by means of bolts 31 disposed threadingly in the bottom gear 29.

As shown in the right end of the machine in FIG. 2, the upper saddle is provided with a clearance space 65 on each side of the bearing unit 21 about both the top journal 22X and the bottom roll journal 22. Thus plate 61X is modied relative to plate 61 by having clearance space 65 machined out in plate 61X. Also the upper right saddle 19X is modified slightly to provide a slight clearance on its side. The top right journal 22X is also modied in that it extends suitably outward at a lesser diameter as an extension 22Y, to which a drive sprocket (not shown) is keyed. A collar 28 is secured against a bearing unit 21 on the top right journal 22X by means of a lock washer 33 and lock 36. Similarly on the bottom right journal 22, the bearing unit 21 in the bearing box 21X is secured by a collar, lock washer and a lock 36. The bottom bearing unit 21 on the bottom right journal 22 is also provided with clearance space on each of its sides so las to allow for machining allowances of the long embossing roll 20.

Another feature of this machine is the provision of a pair of jack screws 70 (FIG. 5) for Vernier vertical adjustment of the top roll 20X relative to the bottom roll 2l). To accomplish this end the top saddle 19 is provided with a pair of suitably large smooth walled apertures 71 and the lower saddle 18 is provided lwith threaded small diameter apertures 72 linearly disposed below apertures 71. The pairs of apertures 71 and 72 are disposed one on each side of the top journal 22X. An integral jack screw having a top smooth portion 75, a threaded intermediate portion 76 of lesser diameter and a base 77 of least diameter and a at bottom wall is disposed through each of the apertures 71 and threadingly through aperture 72. The top of the bolt 70 is provided with a channel to receive a screw driver.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom wall of the jack screws 70 rest on the top at wall of a bearing box 21X. Clearly the selective threading in or out of at each station of the respective jack screws 70 will selectively raise or lower the respective end of the top embossing roll 20X relative to the bottom embossing roll 20 to obtain limitless selection of pressure on the web between the rolls 20 and 20X by altering the distance between these rolls.

Embossing presses have their embossing rolls replaced at frequent intervals. Preferably, the entire unit is rolled 'away and a unit with a new design of mating rolls is rolled in line with the printing presses as the last inline operation.

Thus to cut downtime to a minimum at least two embossing machines are used in inline printing-embossing work. Accordingly, the embossing machine of this nvention is provided with preferably four conventional cam displaceable roller units 80. The rollers are disposed on the longitudinal edges of the base plate 13 'adjacent the four respective corners. Thus by hand operation of cam levers 81 the entire embossing machine may be elevated on the four cam rollers 82 and rolled away from the printing presses and the embossing rolls 20X and 20 `are then replaced by embossing rolls of new design.

Thus it is seen that this invention permits selective vertical spacing apart at the individual ends of the pair of embossing rolls by manipulation of a pair of jackscrews 70 disposed at each end, one on each side of the top roll 20X to raise or lower this top roll. It also permits selective movement of the individual ends of bottom roll by selective lateral movement of a bearing box 21X located at each end of the bottom roll and containing the respective journal ends 22 of said bottom roll.

It further permits adjustment of the bottom herringbone gear 29 relative to the top herringbone gear 63 by manipulation of a plurality of adjustment bolts 31. All these adjustments are made with threaded bolts having at bearing surfaces engaging a flat bolt seating surface.

Thus the adjustments of this invention are of the vernier type and may be very small thereby producing a sensitive mating of the embossing rolls.

In assembly the machine with a new pair of mated embossing rolls, the rolls are seated in their saddles and are automatically fixed in locked position at the operators side of the press station. There is no lengthwise or axial movement of the rolls whatsoever. The machining tolerances 65 on the drive side of the rolls also permit a suitable free floating of the rolls in both the upper frame bearing housing and in the lower frame bearing box.

The herringbone gears on the operators side are keyed onto the journals of the rolls and then locked into an adjusted permanent position. Prevention of mottling is easily accomplished by adjustment of the individual jack screws 70 which are easily accessible and can be adjusted while the machine is running to give even a micrometer neness of roll spacing.

Axial misalignment caused by variations in engraving and production press beds is easily corrected by means of the floating yokes 40 and the bearing boxes 21X therein at each end of the bottom roll. These bearing boxes are individually moved by 4adjustment bolts 46 and the adjustment attained is then locked by means of a sliding lock block 49 locked to the side frame 15. These adjusting bolts 46 are not subject to wear during operation of the embossing machine.

Backlash of the herringbone gears is also completely controlled in this invention by adjustment for misalignment of the rolls through adjustment of Said bearing boxes in their yokes 40.

Lubrication of the bearings is provided by means of conventional grease fittings 90. 'Ihe grease is retained about the bearings by conventional circular grease retains 27 except where split grease retainers 5S and 58X are used. Clearly by removal of bolts 60 and the top saddle 19 and 19X, the top roll 20X may be removed with its end bearings 21 disposed on the journals ends 22X. The bearings 21 on the ends of the top roll directly engage the top saddle 19 and the bottom saddle 18, avoiding the disadvantages of use of bearing boxes and thereby produce a tight engagement of these top bearing units 21 to the respective pairs of saddles.

Clearly a major improvement of this invention over the prior art is the locking of the mated rolls in one side only of the machine so that longitudinal or linear axial movement of the axis of one roll relative to the other is entirely eliminated.

This invention has been described by means of a few embodiments thereof but it is not to be limited to these embodiments.

I claim:

1. In a rotary embossing machine having a bed plate, a pair of opposed side frames, a pair of mated steel end journaled top and bottom embossing rolls disposed in said side supports, and a herringbone gear secured to each roll, the improvement comprising a vertically moveable U-shaped dual arm yoke slideably disposed in each of said side supports, means for selective movement of said yoke, a bottom roll retaining bearing box captively and slidingly disposed in each of said yokes to permit limited transverse lateral movement of said box relative to the length of said bed plate, and threaded adjustment means disposed through opposed slots in said side frame and threaded into the respective arms of each of said yokes to eiect selective transverse movement of said bearing box in each of said yokes, whereby selective adjustment of the bearing boxes at each end of the bottom roll adjusts for misalignment between the embossing rolls and for gear backlash.

2. 'I'he embossing machine of claim 1 wherein each of said adjustment means comprises a suitably sectioned threaded bolt having a smooth non-threaded section disposed in said slot of said side frame, and apertured lock block means slidingly disposed on said non-threaded section of said bolt to eiect a locking engagement of said bolt to said side frame after adjustment of the bearing box in said yoke is attained by said adjustment bolt.

3. The machine of claim 2 comprising a bottom saddle side frame piece having a central semi-circular bearing receiving channel and a top saddle side frame piece having a co-acting central semi-circular bearing receiving channel, bolt means for securing said top and bottom saddle side frame pieces to each of the side frames, said top and said bottom saddle pieces each having a suitable inline aperture therein on each side of the semi-circular channel, and semi-threaded bolt means disposed through said apertures in said saddle elements and engaging respectively the bottom roll bearing boxes .to effect selective separation of the top embossing roll from the bottom embossing roll.

4. The machine of 'claim 3 wherein the apertures in the top saddle side frame elements are smooth bored and of relatively large diameter and the linear axially disposed apertures of the bottom saddle are threaded and of smaller diameter.

5. The machine of claim 4 wherein the top and the bottom saddle pieces disposed on one side are each provided with a sprocket drive and the bearing box on said drive side are provided with clearance space to allow for machining tolerances and thereby permitting a permanent locking of the other side of the rolls in the corresponding side frame.

6. The machine of claim 5 comprising a centrally aper- `tured lower herringbone gear having a plurality of threaded apertures suitably disposed about said central aperture, and a suitably narrow centrally apertured bearing retaining collar, said gear being disposed adjacent to said collar both on an end journal of the lower embosing roll, and threaded bolt means disposed in said threaded apertures of said lower herringbone gear whereby said lower gear may be moved selectively relative to said collar to permit suitable alignment with a iixed top herringbone gear secured to the top embossing roll.

7. The machine of claim 6 comprising embossing rolls each having journals on each end, said journals each being suitably threaded and each provided with a suitable cavity, a lock washer having a plurality of upright fingers and having a depending tab adapted to be disposed in said cavity in said journal to prevent rotation of said washer, and a round lock collar having a central threaded laperture threaded onto said journal and rmly against said washer, said lock collar having a plurality of spacedapart cavities to receive a selective finger of said lock washer in locking engagement.

8. The machine of claim 7 comprising a plurality of cam roller means disposed on said bed plate and adapted to cam elevate said bed plate from the iioor thereby permitting engagement of the rollers with the oor and a rolling away of the embossing machine.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 690,816 Albrecht Jan. 7, 1902 2,362,206 Kronquest Nov. 7, 1944 2,681,611 Jacobs June 22, 1954 

1. IN A ROTARY EMBOSSING MACHINE HAVING A BED PLATE, A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE FRAMES, A PAIR OF MATED STEEL END JOURNALED TOP AND BOTTOM EMBOSSING ROLLS DISPOSED IN SAID SIDE SUPPORTS, AND A HERRINGBONE GEAR SECURED TO EACH ROLL, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A VERTICALLY MOVEABLE U-SHAPED DUAL ARM YOKE SLIDEABLY DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID SIDE SUPPORTS, MEANS FOR SELECTIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID YOKE, A BOTTOM ROLL RETAINING BEARING BOX CAPTIVELY AND SLIDINGLY DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID YOKES TO PERMIT LIMITED TRANSVERSE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BOX RELATIVE TO THE LENGTH OF SAID BED PLATE, AND THREADED ADJUSTMENT 